1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to an image recording device in which debris, such as dust, e.g., a recording medium powder, is removed from a surface of a recording medium before the image recording apparatus records an image on the recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
A known inkjet type image recording device may include a carriage configured reciprocate in a main scanning direction, and a recording head mounted to and supported by the carriage. In operation, a plurality of recording medium, such as paper, may be sequentially and intermittingly conveyed in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and images may be recorded onto the conveyed recording medium.
In the known inkjet type image recording device, if debris, such as dust, e.g., a recording medium powder, is positioned on a surface of the recording medium when ink is ejected onto the recording medium, the ejected ink may adhere to the debris instead of adhering to the recording medium, and when the debris subsequently disengages from the recording medium, the ejected ink also may disengage from the recording medium, which may create white specks within in the image.
In general, the known inkjet type image recording device may be configured to perform two types of image recordings. Specifically, the known inkjet type image recording device may be configured to record text data and to record photograph data. With respect to recording text data, the recording head generally ejects ink droplets having a relatively large volume of ink. Such ink droplets are likely to contact the recording medium before the ink droplets transform from a liquid into a mist. This allows a distance between a nozzle surface and the recording medium, e.g., a paper gap or a printing gap, to be greater than a predetermined distance. In this case, an area of the recording medium which the ink droplets occupy corresponds to a relatively small percentage of the total area of the recording medium. Consequently, even if debris on the recording medium subsequently disengages from the recording medium, the quality of the recording medium may not be substantially affected.
Nevertheless, with respect to photograph data, the recording head generally ejects ink droplets having a relatively small volume of ink. Such ink droplets may transform from a liquid into a mist before the ink droplets contact the recording medium if the distance between the nozzle surface and the recording medium is greater than the predetermined distance. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the distance between the nozzle surface and the recording medium. In the known inkjet type image recording device, if the distance between the nozzle surface and the recording medium is minimized, e.g., to be less than the predetermined distance, and debris on the recording medium subsequently disengages from the recording medium, the quality of the recording medium may be substantially affected.
Moreover, in the known inkjet type image recording device, if the distance between the nozzle surface and the recording medium is minimized, e.g., to be less than the predetermined distance, debris which rises from the surface of the recording medium into air which is between the recording medium and the nozzles may adhere to the nozzles, which may alter a trajectory of the ink, and thereby decrease the quality of the image.